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The pair were joined by a number of local extras who played prisoners waiting to be rescued from the "convent".

One such extra was Edgar Phillips, a Wells-based artist and actor who won a part in the show late on thanks to his famous wing sculptures.

"Two of my wing sculptures are on display at the Palace," he says. "I usually have to move them when filming takes place, and I thought I'd ask if there was any chance of me getting a part in the shoot. They said they'd have a look at it and they ended up giving me a small part."

Poldark has been a big hit on BBC One (Image: BBC)

Filming took place over four days, with shoots planned for 12 gruelling hours at a time.

However, Mr Phillips says the atmosphere on set more than made up for the long hours.

"We had to lie on the cold stone floor on straw mattresses and that did take its toll on people over the few days, but they did look after us.

"It was the best on-set experience I've ever had - it was so relaxed, professional and friendly. Within the scene I was in there was a group of 20+ men and over time a real camaraderie developed between us."

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Mr Raso was allowed past security to personally deliver ten pizzas, and practically walked straight into the middle of a scene.

"We went up to the Palace and were directed downstairs into the cellar where they were filming a prison scene," he says.

"Aidan was filming at the point we walked in, though he was behind a wooden door. We couldn't see anything but they were obviously fighting because you could hear make believe sword sounds and stuff.

"They cut the scene and Aidan walked through the door and took his hat off. He saw me stood there and said, 'What's happening here then?'.

I told him we'd brought him some pizza and he thought that was amazing. He grabbed a box and took a bite and said it was really good."

Mammoth Screen is the production company behind Poldark, and producer Michael Ray said the scenes featuring the Bishop's Palace will be the biggest the show has ever filmed.

"The Bishop's Palace was the perfect location for us," he said. "With its grand Chapel, vaulted rooms and ruins, it was the ideal venue to turn into a disused convent which is taken over by the French Republic to house prisoners of war," he said.

"One of the major storylines of the series takes place there, as we live through the horrors of the reign of terror. With friends both old and new united in a daring rescue attempt, the Bishop's Palace is home to one of the biggest, most action-packed sequences of Poldark ever."